Last Report: 9/19/2020
Source: https://dl.ncsbe.gov/?prefix=ENRS/2020_11_03/

Returned

Ballots Returned: 116,494
Return Rate: 13.1%

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Party Registration

Party Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Democrats 64,071 55.0 447,655 14.3
Republicans 18,543 15.9 153,502 12.1
Minor 320 0.3 3,595 8.9
No Party Affiliation 33,560 28.8 284,521 11.8
TOTAL 116,494 100.0 889,273 13.1
All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by 2016 Vote History

Note: North Carolina provides only aggregate request statistics, so it is impossible to generate ballot return rates by 2016 general vote.
Voted Count Percent
Voted in 2016 General 90,382 77.6
Did Not Vote in 2016 General 26,112 22.4
TOTAL 116,494 100.0

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Non-Hispanic White 84,933 72.9 601,617 14.1
Non-Hispanic Black 19,326 16.6 161,021 12.0
Hispanic 1,798 1.5 20,100 8.9
Non-Hispanic Asian American 349 0.3 20,719 1.7
Non-Hispanic Native American 1,882 1.6 3,726 50.5
Other/Multiple/Unknown 8,205 7.0 82,090 10.0
TOTAL 116,494 100.0 889,273 13.1

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Age

Age Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
18 to 25 3,850 3.3 64,293 6.0
26 to 40 10,939 9.4 141,773 7.7
41 to 65 37,595 32.3 324,864 11.6
66 and up 60,828 52.2 358,343 17.0
TOTAL 116,494 100.0 889,273 13.1

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Gender

Gender Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Female 60,739 52.1 487,212 12.5
Male 50,692 43.5 350,064 14.5
Unknown 5,063 4.3 51,997 9.7
TOTAL 116,494 100.0 889,273 13.1

Rejected

Ballots Rejected: 1,467
Rejection Rate: 1.2%

Nearly all 1,467 rejected mail ballots in the midst of the pandemic are for the reason noted as “WITNESS INFO INCOMPLETE”. North Carolina election officials are required by state law to follow up with these voters. If you are a North Carolina voter concerned about your mail ballot, you can track the status of your ballot at the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.

In the “All” mail ballot returned statistics, I add the mail ballots that are returned and accepted with the rejected ballots. Dividing the number of rejected by this quantity yields a rejection rate.

Mail Ballots Rejected by Party Registration

Party Rejected Ballots Freq. Distribution All Returned Ballots Rejection Rate
Democrats 957 65.2 65,028 1.5
Republicans 210 14.3 18,753 1.1
Minor 1 0.1 321 0.3
No Party Affiliation 299 20.4 33,859 0.9
TOTAL 1,467 100.0 117,961 1.2
All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballots Rejected by Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Rejected Ballots Freq. Distribution All Returned Ballots Rejection Rate
Non-Hispanic White 689 47.0 85,622 0.8
Non-Hispanic Black 618 42.1 19,944 3.1
Hispanic 26 1.8 1,824 1.4
Non-Hispanic Asian American 8 0.5 357 2.2
Non-Hispanic Native American 31 2.1 1,913 1.6
Other/Multiple/Unknown 95 6.5 8,300 1.1
TOTAL 1,467 100.0 117,961 1.2
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Black

Requested

Ballots Requested: 889,273
Request Rate: 12.5%

Mail Ballot Requests by Party Registration

North Carolina registered Democrats have a 294,153 ballot request lead over registered Republicans.

Party Count Percent
Democrats 447,655 50.3
Republicans 153,502 17.3
Minor 3,595 0.4
No Party Affiliation 284,521 32.0
TOTAL 889,273 100.0

North Carolina releases an update to the voter registration file each Saturday. The voter registration numbers are from the most recent release and may be slightly dated.

All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballot Requests by Race and Ethnicity

Race Count Percent
Non-Hispanic White 601,617 67.7
Non-Hispanic Black 161,021 18.1
Hispanic 20,100 2.3
Non-Hispanic Asian American 20,719 2.3
Non-Hispanic Native American 3,726 0.4
Other/Multiple/Unknown 82,090 9.2
TOTAL 889,273 100.0

Mail Ballot Requests by Age

North Carolina provides mail ballot request data in age ranges inconsistent with other states’ ranges. The age statistics presented here are not included in the national age statistics.

Age Count Percent
18 to 25 64,293 7.2
26 to 40 141,773 15.9
41 to 65 324,864 36.5
66 and up 358,343 40.3
TOTAL 889,273 100.0

Mail Ballot Requests by Gender

Gender Count Percent
Female 487,212 54.8
Male 350,064 39.4
Unknown 51,997 5.8
TOTAL 889,273 100.0